Tag Archives: Fair & Event Center

Castroville Celebrates the 60th Annual Artichoke Food & Wine Festival in June 2019

In 1959, the Central Coast community gathered to celebrate the harvest of the iconic vegetable and the region that became known as the “Artichoke Center of the World.”

Castroville, CA, Feb 04, 2019 — In 1959, the Central Coast community gathered to celebrate the harvest of the iconic vegetable and the region that became known as the “Artichoke Center of the World.”

In June of this year, festival goers will gather again, this time to celebrate the 60th anniversary of what is now known as the Castroville Artichoke Food & Wine Festival, set for June 1-2, 2019, at the Monterey County Fair & Event Center in Monterey.

California’s artichoke history begins in 1922 when the first artichoke shoots were planted in Castroville. Today, more than nine decades later, nearly 100 percent of America’s fresh artichoke supply is grown in California and nearly two-thirds is grown near the small town of Castroville.

The first Artichoke Festival was held in 1959 under the sponsorship of the Marinovich Marching Units, with the assistance of the Castroville Rod and Gun Club. In 1961 it was a joint venture of the Marinovich Marching Units and the Castroville Chamber of Commerce to produce a larger festival, and Sally DeSante was chosen as the first Artichoke Queen. In 1963 , 1964, and 1965 it was solely sponsored by the Castroville Chamber of Commerce under the direction of the Artichoke Festival Board with Bill Price, one of the originators of the festival idea.

Advance tickets and discounted ticket packages are available online for the 60th annual festival at http://artichokefestival.org/.

General admission is $15 for those 13 and older; seniors 62 and older and military personnel with ID are $10; children ages 6-12 are $5; general admission for one adult, with wine tasting pass, is $40 (must be 21 years or older); wine tasting alone is $30; and field tours are $10 (daily tour schedules to be announced at the Festival), good for adult or child 5-12. Online purchases are available through 9 a.m. June 2, 2019. No refunds.

Two discounted packages are also available, the Arti-Family Pack and the It’s A Date package. The former is $30, a $10 saving over the regular price. It includes two adult tickets and two children’s tickets, good for Saturday or Sunday. This early bird discount ends May 18, 2019, at 12 a.m. No refunds.

The It’s A Date package for 21 and older, $60, a savings of $20, includes two adult tickets and two wine and beer tasting tickets, good for Saturday or Sunday. This early bird discount also ends May 18, 2019, at 12 a.m. No refunds.

The festival’s live entertainment lineup, free with festival admission and held on the Main Stage.

The Wine & Beer Garden is open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday. Must be 21 to enter.

Over the years, the Castoville Artichoke Festival has been dedicated to informing attendees about the unique properties of artichokes, showcasing dozens of delicious artichoke dishes, cooking demonstrations, and field tours. A wine and beer garden, live entertainment, arts and crafts booths, and artichoke eating contests add to the festive atmosphere. As a 501c3 organization, the festival has become a primary source of funding for many local non-profit organizations that depend upon a successful event for their viability, such as:

Ag Against Hunger

Sun Street Center

North County Baseball

North County High School Golf

North Salinas Athletic Booster Club

Hope Horses & Kids

Marina Lions

Bikers for Bikes

Ashleigh Nicole Swain Memorial Scholarship

Ag History Project

Ord Terrace Elementary School

North County Wrestling Team

Monterey County Middle School

Golden State Elite

North County Recreation & Park

North County Bulldogs Cheer

North County Bulldogs

Monterey County Girls Basketball

Members of the current board of directors are:

Glenn Alameda

Stefani Cortopassi

David Delfino

Lynn Clark

Lionel Handel

Wes McClellan

Angie Micheli (Honorary Member)

Kathy Parish

Terry Bei Rohrs

Linda Scherer

Debbie Stadig

Ruben Torres

Kevin Tottino

Contact:

Marci Bracco Cain

Chatterbox PR

Salinas, CA 93901

(831) 747-7455

http://www.artichokefestival.org/

Monterey Cowboy Festival Celebrates its 20th Year on Nov. 3 at Monterey County Fair & Event Center

The Monterey Cowboy Festival celebrates its 20th anniversary this year, so saddle up and mosey on down to the Monterey County Fair & Event Center on Nov. 3

Monterey, CA, October 01, 2018 — The Monterey Cowboy Festival celebrates its 20th anniversary this year, so saddle up and mosey on down to the Monterey County Fair & Event Center on Nov. 3, and enjoy music from country artists such as Jon Pardi and Corb Lund, cowboy poetry, food and drink and a western art and gear marketplace.

The 20th Annual Monterey Cowboy Festival, previously the Monterey Cowboy Poetry & Music Festival, takes place from 11:00 a.m. – 10:30 p.m. Saturday, November 3, 2018, at the Monterey County Fair & Event Center at 2004 Fairground Road, in Monterey.

Tickets range in price from $19 for a Grounds Pass to $247 for a VIP experience, and are available online at www.montereycowboy.org. Food and craft vendors are also needed, and can apply at https://marcatoapp.com/forms/mcf2018/fooddrinkvendorapplication and https://marcatoapp.com/forms/mcf2018/artgearapp/new. Deadline for application is Oct. 15.

The festival celebrates Monterey’s contribution to our country’s western heritage, bringing people together to enjoy and learn more about the “cowboy way of life,” including its history, current values and culture.

The lineup includes “throwback” country artist Jon Pardi, Texas neotraditionalist country trio Midland, country singer Corb Lund, and cowboy poets Waddie Mitchell and Paul Zarzyski on the Main Arena Stage.

Playing on the Garden Stage on the grounds will be Ernie Sites, Cow Bop, Mike Beck, Juni Fisher, Andy Hedges, Tom Swearingen, The Carolyn Sills Combo, Joni Harms, Almeda Bradshaw, and The Hasslers.

The Marketplace, located on the Main Lawn next to the food and drink vendors, hosts some of the finest western art and gear vendors in the country, from customs saddles, fine leather boots and stunning paintings to handmade jewelry.

Since its inception, the festival’s foundation has been charity, giving more than $50,000 to local charities over the past 19 years as a registered nonprofit 501(c)(3).

The majority of those years were led by the festival’s founder and former Monterey police chief, Gary Brown, who lost his battle with lung disease in 2016. Brown founded the Monterey Cowboy Poetry & Music Festival in 1998 in an effort to preserve the culture of the American cowboy, while doing all he could to give back to the local community.

In an effort to continue Gary’s commitment to giving, the festival has announced the formation of the Gary Brown Scholarship Fund, which will focus on students in seventh to 12th grade in Monterey and Santa Cruz counties who are looking to enhance their music education in the areas of school tuition, music camp tuition, private music lessons, or musical equipment purchase/repair. To donate to the fund, go to https://www.montereycowboy.org/scholarship.

Ticket prices are as follows and are available online:

Off-site parking, $25

VIP Floor Seating, Arena, $247 + $25.85 fee

VIP Box Seating, Arena, $247 + $25.85 fee

Reserved Box Seating Arena, $123 + #13.37 fee

GA Corral Arena, $91 + $10.15

GA Rear Arena, $48 + $5.83

Grounds Pass, $19 + $2.91 fee

For more information or to buy tickets, go to www.montereycowboy.org

Contact:

Marci Bracco Cain

Chatterbox PR

Salinas, CA 93901

(831) 747-7455

http://www.montereycowboy.org

Monterey County Fair & Event Center Hires Nicolette Aldrete as Facility Marketing Representative

The Monterey County Fair & Event Center has announced the hiring of Nicolette Aldrete as Facility Marketing Representative.

Monterey, CA, April 04, 2018 — The Monterey County Fair & Event Center has announced the hiring of Nicolette Aldrete as Facility Marketing Representative.

Born and raised in Monterey, Aldrete is a 2013 graduate of Salinas High School, where she played volleyball all four years. She attended Sonoma State University in Rohnert Park as a wine business/marketing major, graduating in December 2017.

In college she worked for Monterey County Vintners and Growers Association and Wine Spirits in Napa, where she planned and set up all of their special events and ran their social media. She also worked at Cowgirl Winery in Carmel Valley

Aldrete is the daughter of former San Francisco Giants and Oakland A’s professional baseball player Mike Aldrete, who is currently the assistant hitting coach for the A’s. She has two older brothers, Michael and Blake, and her mother Gina helps run the family’s whale-watching and fishing business on Fisherman’s Wharf in Monterey with her grandparents.

About the Monterey County Fair & Event Center

The Monterey County Fair & Event Center is a premier event center set on 22 oak-studded acres with ample parking. It is a state-owned multi-use facility that features four large banquet rooms, two outdoor concert venues, and a variety of outdoor and indoor cost-effective sites ideal for all types of events. It is home of the annual award-winning Monterey County Fair, host to many major and private events on the Central Coast, and the site of the Monterey Bay Race Place, a Satellite Wagering Facility.

For more information, contact the Fair Administration Office, at 2004 Fairground Road in Monterey, by calling (831) 372-5863 or go to www.montereycountyfair.com for more information.

Contact:

Marci Bracco Cain

Chatterbox PR

Salinas, CA 93901

(831) 747-7455

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2018 Spring Inspired Home & Garden Expo of Monterey to be held on April 21st and 22nd at the Monterey County Fair & Event Center

Get ready for home entertaining this Spring and Summer!

Monterey, CA, March 24, 2018 – Get ready for home entertaining this Spring and Summer! Why not create a fabulous outdoor kitchen or back yard sanctuary, upgrade your dining room area or add a kitchen island for all of your great cooking projects.

Be sure to save the date! Don’t miss the free 2018 Spring Inspired Home & Garden Expo of Monterey on April 21st and 22nd, 2018 that will be held at the Monterey County Fair & Event Center.

Be ready to ask the experts on site all of your home improvement questions! This year’s event will have many great surprises and feature an array of fascinating and useful Home and Garden Exhibits, Daily Seminars, Live Chef Demos, Shopping, and Charity Partners as well as Expo Sponsors.

Stop by for a few hours and discover the very best in home-improvement products, advice and inspiration. Home expo exhibitors include general contractors, flooring, landscapers, kitchen and bath, cabinets, closet organizers, landscape designers, painters, countertops, tile, granite, appliances, solar energy, fireplaces, and much more all from around Monterey County!

Spring is a great time to evaluate your home and initiate home renovation projects so you’ll be ready to enjoy comfortably visiting with family and friends in your enhanced home.

It’s also definitely a great time Get Inspired! Start by visiting the Inspired Home Expo to plan your home improvement and landscaping vision and meet trusted experts who can make it a great reality. Unleash your creativity and create a true sanctuary where you can relax and rejuvenate in your beautiful home.

At a Glance:

· Saturday, April 21, 2018 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

· Sunday, April 22, 2018 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

· Free to all attendees!

· The Spring 2018 Inspired Home Expo of Monterey will feature a full weekend of activities for homeowners plus the latest remodeling, landscaping and home accessory trends and tips.

· Educational home improvement seminars by local professionals, cooking demos, local charity partners and more.

· Additional informative and fun free seminars will be available both days during the Spring 2018 Inspired Home & Garden Expo of Monterey (full schedule coming soon on inspiredexpos.com)

· The Grand Prize for attendees of the event: $100 Home Depot Gift Certificate!

· Free parking!

· Location: Monterey County Fair & Event Center, 2004 Fairground Rd. Monterey, California. (Please enter at Gate 3)

· For more information, go to InspiredExpos.com or call (831) 222-0772.

During the Spring 2018 Inspired Home Expo of Monterey weekend, there will be an outstanding line-up of seminars in the home, food and garden areas that include many experts in their field. Attendees can plan their visit to the Spring 2018 Inspired Home & Garden Expo of Monterey around many valuable remodeling workshops and home improvement seminar presentations by local experts and live chef demos and some seminars are now listed below.

2018 Spring Home Expo Seminar Schedule

Seminars to include:

Saturday, April 21, 2018

12:30 pm

Learn More About High Quality Olive Oil & Olive Oil Demo

Presented by RoseAnne Ruccello-Fischer of Ruccello Olive Oil

We know that olive oil is good for you, but there are a lot of myths about it out there. Many olive oils are for sale in the U.S. and are mislabeled or adulterated. As a new provider of high quality extra virgin olive oil from Italy and California, RoseAnne Ruccello will share olive oil facts and tips, health benefits of olive oil, and will discuss how to do olive oil tastings and food pairings.

1:30 pm

Hardscape Design & Opportunity

Presented by Steve McShane of McShane’s Landscape Supply

Too many landscapes go underutilized due to maintenance challenges. Join Steve McShane to dream up cost effective landscape solutions using stone, pavers, rocks and bark. Steve will highlight materials that last and require little or no upkeep. Steve will also walk through the design process so you can begin thinking about outside spaces you can enjoy.

And more seminars to be announced soon

Sunday, April 22, 2018

To be announced soon

Corporate Sponsors:

· Noble Pride Roofing

Media Corporate Sponsors:

· Monterey County Herald

· KRML Radio 102.1 FM and 1410 AM

· Times Publishing Group

Exhibitor booth and Sponsorship opportunities are still available. For more information, go to www.InspiredExpos.com/Expos/Monterey.

About Presenter RoseAnn Ruccello-Fischer

RoseAnne Ruccello-Fischer has a passion for premium olive oil and she’s turned that passion into a vocation, recently launching Ruccello Olive Oil, which specializes in Extra Virgin Olive Oils from Italy and California, hand-crafted olive wood items and handmade aprons.

Starting April 1st, Ruccello Olive Oil will offer on its website, ruccellooliveoil.com, Extra Virgin Olive Oil from the Tuscany region in Italy and California, handmade olive wood bowls and cutting boards, and aprons crafted by hand. In the future, she hopes to offer more varieties of Extra Virgin Olive Oil from around the world. She also currently imports European antiques with her husband in partnership with a company in Carmel Valley.

Ruccello-Fischer may be passionate about olive oil, but she’s equally passionate about eating and living well. She’s been in the health care field for more than 30 years and is a Clinical Laboratory Scientist, so she’s well acquainted with the many health benefits of olive oil. But it wasn’t until 2015, when she and her husband bought a small house in Tuscany nestled in the Chianti hills, with vineyards and olive groves everywhere you could see, that the idea of running her own olive oil business took seed.

A local business owner in their small Italian town suggested importing extra virgin olive oil to the U.S., an idea that appealed to her. She wanted to learn everything she could about olive oil, so signed up for an Olive Oil Sommelier class. The original business idea didn’t pan out, but she did learn quite a bit about olive oil, especially the fact that many olive oils for sale in the U.S. are mislabeled and adulterated and that customers were being duped into buying Extra Virgin Olive Oil that was either virgin olive oil or lampante oil, which is not fit for human consumption.

So she decided she wanted to educate American consumers and offer them the best Extra Virgin Olive Oil that the world has to offer. Ruccello Olive Oil was founded, the name taken from her maiden name. She’s already working with three olive oil producers in Italy and one in California, with another from Italy in the works.

More about the Expo:

Learn from and become “inspired” by top professionals in the field. Come meet the experts from the community who can help you create a more beautiful living environment, make a space more comfortable or fix an issue in your home. The event gives you the opportunity to build relationships with the people who can help you make your dreams become reality. There’s something for everyone, whether you’re looking for ideas for Spring projects, inspiration or just browsing home improvements large too small. Talk with expert local home contractors that can create all your “inspired”, images from your clippings and Pinterest boards, meet your Google search list face to face, and make your home improvement dreams a reality.

The free, fun and informative Spring 2018 Inspired Home & Garden Expo of Monterey will be held on Saturday and Sunday, April 21st and 22nd at the Monterey Fair & Expo Center, 2004 Fairground Road, Monterey, CA. This not-to-be-missed event will feature about a hundred LOCAL home and garden professionals on site, many based in Monterey County, with all of your home project solutions. They will be available to answer all of your questions and provide expert advice for enhancing your indoor and outdoor living space.

The Spring 2018 Inspired Home & Garden Expo will feature displays and exhibits of the latest ideas in home improvement, remodeling, interior design, decorating and landscaping. In addition, it will provide educational and informative seminars and demonstrations designed to help you enhance the beauty and the value of your home. Quality contractors, expert craftsmen, premier designers and home improvement professionals are there both days to focus on all of your needs to make your home meet your vision.

About Simply Clear Marketing & Media:

Simply Clear Marketing & Media (SCMM) is a professional event management and marketing company based on the Central Coast. SCMI currently produces 7 successful INSPIRED trade show events per year and is expanding its events and services. The Inspired Home Expos are designed to create an environment for consumers to find the products and services they need to create the home of their dreams. The vision behind the home expos is to create a location for local residents to meet face to face with local companies who can help them to create a beautiful living environment and increase the value of their homes. The health expos provide a location for residents to meet face to face with a variety of health, wellness, and fitness providers in the area.

Simply Clear Marketing & Media’s mission is to help small businesses grow by connecting them with potential clients through events and marketing. For more information, go to www.InspiredExpos.com or call (805) 222-0772.

Contact:

Marci Bracco Cain

Chatterbox PR

Salinas, CA 93901

(831) 747-7455

http://www.InspiredExpos.com

2017 Fall Inspired Home & Garden Expo of Monterey to be held on October 14 and 15, 2017 at the Monterey County Fair & Event Center

Get ready for holiday entertaining! Create a beautiful living environment and hire an expert to get your home improvement projects started!

Learn great strategies for “Aging in Place” with John Lewis, owner of Lewis Builders

Monterey, CA, August 02, 2017 – Save the date for the free 2017 Fall Inspired Home & Garden Expo on Saturday and Sunday October 14 and 15, 2017, at the Monterey County Fair & Event Center. Fall is a great time to evaluate your home and begin to initiate home renovation projects so you’ll be ready to enjoy holiday entertaining with family and friends. It’s also the perfect time to Get Inspired! Talk with hundreds of experts who can help you make both large and small changes to your home and garden area! Enjoy informative and entertaining seminars on both days.

Presenting at this year’s Fall Expo will be John Lewis of Lewis Builders providing valuable seminars about effective ways for Aging in Place!

Ask the experts! This year’s event will feature an array of fascinating and useful Home and Garden Exhibits, Daily Seminars, Live Chef Demos, Shopping, and Charity Partners as well as Expo Sponsors. Stop by for a few hours and discover the very best in home-improvement products, advice and inspiration.

Start by visiting the Inspired Home Expo to plan your home improvement and landscaping vision and meet trusted experts who can make it a great reality. Unleash your creativity and create a true sanctuary where you can relax and rejuvenate in your beautiful home.

Be sure to bring all of your home improvement ideas and remodeling projects to the Inspired Home & Garden Expo of Monterey. Experts at the Monterey Home Expo are there to answer all of your questions and help you get started.

The Inspired Fall Home Expo exhibitors will include general contractors, flooring, landscapers, kitchen and bath, cabinets, closet organizers, landscape designers, painters, countertops, tile, granite, appliances, solar energy, fireplaces, and much more, most based in Monterey County!

At a Glance:

· Saturday, October 14, 2017 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

· Sunday, October 15, 2017 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

· Free to all attendees!

· The Fall 2017 Inspired Home Expo of Monterey will feature a full weekend of activities for homeowners plus the latest remodeling, landscaping and home accessory trends and tips.

· Educational home improvement seminars by local professionals, cooking demos, local charity partners and more.

· Special Guest Appearance by John Lewis, owner of Lewis Builders

About John Lewis

John Lewis found his calling as a college student at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, though it wasn’t how you might expect a career path to unfold. Flash forward to 2017, as Lewis is now the founder of Lewis Builders, which specializes in designing and building custom homes, doing design/build remodels and “aging-in-place” renovations for retirees, older people and those with health concerns. His firm employs 15 people and moved into new offices in The Barnyard Shopping Center in Carmel.

“We have a passion for helping those who are aging and just want to keep their dignity and independence in their own homes,” says Lewis. “We’re trying to educate the public on design/build and aging-in-place.”

Design/build, simply put, is the same company doing the design and construction, from conception to completion, of a custom home or remodel. Design/builders have a better conception of the real costs of a project and how to fit that into a client’s budget; it saves significant time in the overall project; and the construction team works collaboratively with the design team.

Aging-in-place is customizing homes with innovative, aesthetically pleasing solutions that alleviate the physical challenges of aging or injury.

It’s not just a specialty, Lewis Builders is a credentialed expert in CAPS (Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist). A program of the National Association of Home Builders, the Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist (CAPS) designation program teaches the technical, business management, and customer service skills essential to competing in the fastest growing segment of the residential remodeling industry: home modifications for the aging-in-place.

“When people discover that cost of living in an assisted-living facility can be $10,000 or $20,000 a month, making modifications to their own homes becomes a no-brainer,” he says. “The ultimate result is that people are able to live comfortably and safely in their homes into their later years, rather than moving into costly assisted-living facilities.”

Born and raised in Monterey County, the youngest of five children, Lewis’s passion for the creative process of designing and building custom homes and remodels that started with small repair jobs in college, has now become his life’s work.

· Additional informative and fun free seminars will be available both days during the Fall 2017 Inspired Home & Garden Expo of Monterey (full schedule will be coming soon on inspiredhomeexpos.com)

· The Grand Prize for attendees of the event: $100 Gift Card to Home Depot

· Free admission & parking!

· Location: Monterey County Fair & Event Center, 2004 Fairground Rd. Monterey, California. (Please enter at Gate 3 on Garden Road)

· For more information, go to InspiredExpos.com or call (831) 222-0772.

During the Fall 2017 Inspired Home Expo of Monterey weekend, there will be an outstanding line-up of seminars in the home, food and garden areas that include many experts in their field. Attendees can plan their visit to the Fall 2017 Inspired Home & Garden Expo of Monterey around many valuable remodeling workshops and home improvement seminar presentations by local experts and live chef demos and some seminars are now listed below. Updates about the seminars and the presenters will be posted on the website, InspiredExpos.com.

Corporate Sponsors:

· Noble Pride Roofing

Media Corporate Sponsors:

· Monterey County Herald

· KRML Radio 102.1 FM and 1410 AM

· Times Publishing Group

Exhibitor booth and Sponsorship opportunities are available. For more information, go to www.InspiredExpos.com/Expos/Monterey.

More about the 2017 Fall Inspired Home Expo:

Learn from and become “inspired” by top professionals in the field. Come meet the experts from the community who can help you create a more beautiful living environment, make a space more comfortable or fix an issue in your home. The event gives you the opportunity to build relationships with the people who can help you make your dreams become reality. There’s something for everyone, whether you’re looking for ideas for Fall projects, inspiration or just browsing home improvements large too small. Talk with expert local home contractors that can create all your “inspired”, images from your clippings and Pinterest boards, meet your Google search list face to face, and make your home improvement dreams a reality.

The free, fun and informative Fall 2017 Inspired Home & Garden Expo of Monterey will be held on Saturday and Sunday, October 14 and 15, 2017 at the Monterey Fair & Expo Center, 2004 Fairground Road, Monterey, CA. This not-to-be-missed event will feature about a hundred LOCAL home and garden professionals on site, many based in Monterey County, with all of your home project solutions. They will be available to answer all of your questions and provide expert advice for enhancing your indoor and outdoor living space.

The Fall 2017 Inspired Home & Garden Expo will feature displays and exhibits of the latest ideas in home improvement, remodeling, interior design, decorating and landscaping. In addition, it will provide educational and informative seminars and demonstrations designed to help you enhance the beauty and the value of your home. Quality contractors, expert craftsmen, premier designers and home improvement professionals are there both days to focus on all of your needs to make your home meet your vision.

Publicity Contacts:

Wendy Brickman (831) 633-4444 or brickman@brickmanmarketing.com

Marci Bracco (831) 747-7455 or marci@chatterboxpublicrelations.com

About Simply Clear Marketing & Media:

Simply Clear Marketing & Media (SCMM) is a professional event management and marketing company based on the Central Coast. SCMM currently produces 7 successful INSPIRED trade show events per year and is expanding its events and services. The Inspired Home Expos are designed to create an environment for consumers to find the products and services they need to create the home of their dreams. The vision behind the home expos is to create a location for local residents to meet face to face with local companies who can help them to create a beautiful living environment and increase the value of their homes. The health expo provides a location for residents to meet face to face with a variety of health, wellness, and fitness providers in the area.

Simply Clear Marketing & Media’s mission is to help small businesses grow by connecting them with potential clients through events and marketing. For more information, go to www.InspiredExpos.com or call (831) 222-0772.

Contact:

Marci Bracco Cain

Chatterbox PR

Salinas, CA 93901

(831) 747-7455

http://www.InspiredExpos.com